KENNETT: Free summer concerts

The first concert in the summer series at Anson B. Nixon Park was so enjoyable! The band, Western Centuries, was very good, the rain held off until later in the evening, the park has never looked better -- plus we always enjoy watching the dogs, the kids and the amazing lady spinning her hula hoops.
At intermission Bette McConnell of Unionville came over to say hi and told us that she and her husband decided to celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary by having dinner at Hartefeld and then coming to the concert. She said, with justified pride, that even though her husband broke his hip last year, he was still able to compete in this year's Kennett Run.
The concert on June 26 is by All Good People, a Yes tribute band, and all of us who were teens in the 1970s are looking forward to that one! I have been telling everyone who will listen that I actually saw Yes at the now-razed JFK Stadium in Philadelphia in the summer of 1976, on a double bill with Peter Frampton.
The Wednesday evening concerts are free and start at 7 p.m. You can bring a picnic or buy supper at the park.

NEWLIN: Hateful graffiti

Somebody spray-painted racist graffiti on the sign in front of the Newlin Township road maintenance building overnight on June 15 or 16. Rob Mastrippolito of the township public works crew alerted the state police, cleaned the foul message off and rearranged the movable letters on the sign to say "NOT COOL." A justifiably upset Rob said it was not exactly the way he wanted to spend his first Father's Day.

EAST MARLBOROUGH: New townhouse development

What's with the new three-way stop sign on Schoolhouse Road at the McKinstry farm? It was installed due to anticipated traffic from a 150-townhouse development, Longwood Preserve, which will be built on a 32-acre tract on the west side of the road. The interior roads for the development have just been installed, and construction of the townhouses, to be built in groups of four, is expected to start this autumn.
The new development is just north of another townhouse development, "Schoolhouse Lane."

RESCUED: Dogs with a past

Thirty dogs -- the largest turnout ever! -- took part in the annual Rescue Dog Parade at Plantation Field at noon on June 19. The owners walked their dogs clockwise around the ring and then lined up across the middle. Prizes (dog toys) were awarded for the youngest dog (Ozzie, a 14-week-old Corgi mix), the oldest dog (Gypsy, an 11-year-old "mutt from the pound") and also the dog rescued from farthest away (Holly, a pit bull/Rottweiler mix from Dallas, Texas). There's usually a prize for the smallest dog, but that would have been a tough category to judge this year because there were so many little canines.
Large or small, the dogs were very well behaved and friendly. Before the parade, my hand got licked plenty of times as I greeted the dogs of people I knew.
The parade took place during a schooling show at Plantation Field, and all the entry fees from the horses went to three dog rescues: Greenmore Farms, Brookline Labrador Rescue and All Mutts Matter. Pet Valu of Longwood was the sponsor.

LENAPE PARK: For sale

The 22-acre property at Route 52 and Route 100, better known as Lenape Park or the Brandywine Picnic Park, is up for sale with an asking price of $1.49 million. The online listing describes it as a "fully equipped and ready-to-open Amusement Park and Family Fun Center" with a capacity of more than 5,000 guests. The ad mentions pavilions, on-site catering facilities, an office building and "extensive paved and overflow parking." I had to chuckle at that choice of words, considering how often the park gets flooded when the Brandywine Creek goes over its banks.
Those of us of a certain age have fond memories of visiting Lenape Park in the 1960s: the swings, the fun house, and the wonderful carousel complete with brass rings. I can't say my memories of the wooden roller coaster are fond, though; I was terrified.

VACCINE: I got mine

Because there's a nationwide shortage of the new shingles vaccine Shingrix, my doctor alerted me to put my name on a waiting list. My regular pharmacy didn't have any, but a few days later I happened to be in another pharmacy getting Dearest Partner's refills and asked if they had Shingrix by any chance.
Why, yes; they'd just received a shipment. Easy decision. I got the shot right there and then-- even though there was some insurance glitch and I ended up paying $169 out of pocket. (They did give me a lollipop after I got my shot.)
The Shingrix manufacturer has set up a website so you can track the popular vaccine's availability. Apparently there aren't many anti-vaxxers in the 60-and-over set, or possibly they have personal experience with shingles, which can be horribly painful and long-lasting. A dear friend of mine who has a sky-high pain threshold (and doesn't let a trifle like a fracture or a concussion interfere with her foxhunting) was in utter agony.

EAST MARLBOROUGH: Bagel shop closes

Palm-A-Bagel, in the Marlborough Square Shopping Center, closed its doors this week; apparently the owners are moving out of state. One of my readers wrote to say, "They made the best bagels and had that NYC cultural contribution."
I've been eating low-carb for a year, which alas doesn't include bagels (even freshly made ones), but I remember full well how tasty they were.
Coincidentally, I have another bread anecdote to share: at the Giant checkout this evening I overheard one excited young employee saying to another, "Dude! You just changed my life!" and he hustled off. I asked the coworker how exactly he had changed his friend's life and he showed me a new product, a mini-pack of King's Hawaiian Rolls. The smaller size makes a perfect snack, he said.

FAMILY: He got the cool gene

The Young Relative and his father met us for dinner at Café de Thai the other night, and I was struck by the sight of the handsome Y.R., wearing sunglasses, pulling up in his fine German automobile with his father in the passenger seat.
"How is it possible," I asked him, "that I can be related to someone so utterly cool?"
The Y.R. didn't miss a beat. He looked over at his father and delivered the best Father's Day present imaginable.
"I take after my Dad," he said simply.